


smooth and shine

by brawlite



Series: layers of home [1]
Category: Hawkeye (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Gen, but so is pretty much everything else, choosing shampoo is difficult, so kate helps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-21
Updated: 2014-04-21
Packaged: 2018-01-20 05:29:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1498402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brawlite/pseuds/brawlite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kate helps Bucky with his personal hygiene choices.</p>
            </blockquote>





	smooth and shine

**Author's Note:**

> this is just a silly little drabble that exists in a universe where bucky bounces between staying at natasha's place and clint's apartment in bed-stuy. that's all you need to know.

 

“Smooth and shine?” The goopy liquid in the bottle is light pink and the floral essence of it seeps out and hits him even with the cap on.

“Yeah, with rose hips and -- _jojoba_.” 

“I don’t know what that is.”

“Get used to it.” She tosses him another bottle, this time orange and taller. The overwhelming tang of citrus hits him when he pops it open and smells the shampoo hesitantly, mirroring what Kate did before she threw it over. “ _Body Envy_?”

The leer is unmistakable. “Well, people are already going to be envying that bod of yours. The might as well envy your hair, too.” The _you look like a serial killer_ is unmistakably unspoken, because that’s how this whole thing started. 

He must frown, because she huffs and pulls one more bottle from the bag. “I was saving this one for myself, you big baby, but see what you think.” He ends up with a brown bottle in hand, with a label that says _The Sleeker the Butter_ and this time he can feel the frown settle onto his face. “Smell it, Jamie. Don’t be a wuss.” So he does. The aroma is a mixture of chocolate and coconut and it’s -- well, it’s actually _good._ It’s the first opinion he’s had in a long time about anything, really, other than where he wants to sleep, and that’s surprising in and of itself. 

“I like this one.” 

Kate takes it and runs with it, which is exactly what he would have expected her to do. “Sweet! It goes with this conditioner.” She lobs another bottle at his face, which he catches on reflex with his left arm. On inspection, the goop smells pretty much the same, but is white instead of gel-like and brown. He knows better than to ask what conditioner is -- he’ll figure it out in due time, just like he did with Barton’s coffee maker. 

“Alright.” He sets both of the bottles on the counter and passes the two reject scents back to Kate, who mumbles something about how Barnes really needs something _damage-repairing_ due to years of neglect, but doesn’t actually argue with his choice. Even if it was what she originally bought for herself. “You think Clint’d care about smelling like roses? Because I definitely don’t want to. Whatever. You know, I bet you he just uses soap in his hair, anyway. What an oaf.” She tucks all the bottles, shampoo and matching conditioners, into her arms and pushes away from the counter. “We’re going to get you better personal hygiene habits, just you wait. You’ll put Clint to _shame_ , Jamie.” 

He looks from the bottle of his own shampoo and conditioner to Kate, who is beaming at him, eyes wide and alert and so full of promise. “Thanks.” He mutters, because: _manners._ Which only makes Kate smile even wider as she disappears up the stairs, unmistakably saying something about Barnes being the _belle of the ball_. He’ll have to ask Barton about that when he gets back, because that sounds like another reference that he doesn’t get.

It’s a full minute after she vacates the kitchen that he moves and picks up the bottle of shampoo again. Can’t help himself from inspecting it, turning it over and over again in his hands. It’s one of the only things in the apartment that counts as his _own_ \-- everything else is shared or communal. The red toothbrush he found on the bathroom counter one night had been the first item on the list, even if it was mostly a joke -- _Red: get it, Jimmy? Red for Russia. In Russia, tooth brushes y-- Hey, ow! Let go, you jerk, it was a joke!_

Carefully, he sets it back down on the counter, resolving to take it upstairs to the bathroom the next time he navigates his way up there. For now, though, he’s content to sit at the kitchen counter and appreciate the familiar sounds of the city seeping through the window and thin walls.

 


End file.
